america heads down the fiscal cliff in exactly five weeks. take a look at the time line, triggering painful spending cuts and tax hikes. several leading republicans signaling that they're willing to break their new tax hike pledge to get a spending deal passed in time. but when the lame duck senate returned yesterday, it sure sounded like politics as usual. >> the senate has spoken. president obama has spoken. he's promised he will not sign any bill that mortgages our future to pay for handouts to the wealthiest 2% of americans. i only hope house republicans have been listening. >> we've been responsible, even as we've remained firm on this point. no tax increases now for promised spending cuts that won't materialize later. >> cnn's political director mark preston is live from washington this morning. good morning to you, mark. so the house gets back in session today. and so far there are no talks scheduled between top republicans and the president. >> that's true, zoraida. we haven't seen the president and congressional leaders actually meet